Solo traveler Porto, Hotel recommendations

We came off the RS Tour of Portugal in Sept 24 and stayed one extra night at the Renaissance Porto Lapa hotel which is wonderful with a rooftop pool. However it’s isolated and a long walk from the main parts of town. I would suggest you look at smaller hotels on or near the Rua de Flores corridor, lots of restaurants and shops there. Or look across the river at the Cais de Gaia area specifically look at Hotel Vincci Ponte de Ferro. All the famous port wineries are there plus the beautiful World of Wine attraction and scenic vistas of Porto from the Garden of Moors green space up high. Enjoy the tour, it’s great! And if I could suggest, have your legs and aerobic conditioning in good form before you start this adventure, lots of hills and stairs in sunny Portugal :).

I prefer to stay outside of the city. I found the Sheraton at Matosinhos to be perfect. Clean, inexpensive, a block from the beach, good restaurants and a major supermarket right next door. Bus stop a block away and it cost 1 euro to get into town. The best is that you can easily walk the beach, there's a good castle on the water, and I've never seen it crowded. One of my favorite places to sit, either in one of the bars or just on the seawall, and watch the sun go down.

We stayed at a small, spotless BnB near the Sao Bento train station and the cathedral. The hosts were exceptional and very flexible with our schedule. Breakfast was included. We walked everywhere.

https://www.natravessa.com/

We did not stay near the Sao Bento train station as Jules did. But having been to Porto, it is where I wish we had stayed.

After our 2023 Portugal tour, we stayed at the Na Travessa Suites, on a tiny street very near Rua de Flores, and close to the train station. Jules M posted a link to the guesthouse; here's my review: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/portugal-reviews/na-travessa-suites-in-porto

We heartily recommend this place. Should we ever be fortunate enough to return to Porto, we're definitely staying here.

I stayed at a charming small B&B about 10 minute walk from Sao Bento station, near Clerigos tower. It was a great location. I walked everywhere. When I was there it was called Maison Nos (Rua do Doutor Barbosa de Castro 36) but it appears to have a new name, Fil's Place, which probably means different owners. It does still seem to have high ratings on Booking.

Thank you, everyone, for the excellent suggestions. There is a lot to think about! Are the port houses in a more remote area? Is this a one-night visit, or is there lots to see in this area?

The port houses on the river? They are a very easy walk across a bridge from the center of town. You can use google maps to see the route from your proposed accommodation.

Is this a one-night visit, or is there lots to see in this area?

Lynne, we stayed on an extra three days after our Heart of Portugal tour (which had already spent 2 nights in Porto) and had no trouble filling our time. In fact, we wish we had spent at least another 2 or three days there.

The port houses are right at the mouth of the river, on both sides. There's a fair amount to see in the immediate area, it's attractive, but it gets to be wall to wall people after 10 am until 5-6pm. If you want to do a tour you will need to have a reservation made in advance.

There are many places where you can just get wine and port tastings without the tour also, and those usually do not require a reservation. Be advised, you will not find appreciable discounts on either port or wine anywhere along the river. If that's what you want look for a Pingo Doce market and buy your bottles there.

Thanks, KGC, for the tip on where to buy port. We have access to many ports in the US. It will need to be special to buy and haul back to the US.